


Holding Onto Each Other

by Morgyn Leri (morgynleri)



Series: The Travel Collection: Drabbles, Snippets, and Supershorts [60]
Category: The Avengers (2012), Thor (Movies)
Genre: Alternate Universe, GFY, Multi
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-07-08
Updated: 2015-06-23
Packaged: 2017-12-18 02:20:41
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 1,205
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/874559
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/morgynleri/pseuds/Morgyn%20Leri
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>None of them know, after all. None of them know of a comfortable apartment where he's spent some of the most enjoyable hours - days, weeks - of his life, with the two that mean the most to him.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Triad

**Author's Note:**

> An AU where Loki met Darcy when she was in her freshman year of college (and while he was bored) and met Clint at some unspecified point before that.

"He's missing." Clint listens from the vents as Fury begins to harangue the agents who'd been supposed to keep an eye on Clint until he'd been declared fit for duty once more. No longer a threat to SHIELD or the world, despite his fighting against the Chitauri and against Loki. Even though he'd said all the right things, though he'd watched as Thor took Loki back to Asgard, and with him, a rather large chunk of Clint's heart.

That had been the hardest part. Not stepping forward and either dragging Loki away by those damnably tempting cuffs - he'd texted Darcy about them later, and they'd made desultory plans to find something that might work for that at home - or grabbing the handle of the Tesseract container and going with him. He'd thought he'd managed to hide just how hard it had been, or at least written it off as a desire to kill Loki, rather than save him.

None of them know, after all. None of them know of a comfortable apartment where he's spent some of the most enjoyable hours - days, weeks - of his life, with the two that mean the most to him. Never mind that he and Darcy have only known each other for about a year, since Thor had been exiled to nowhere, New Mexico. It's the only good thing Clint can think of in association with Thor right now, and it's almost drowned out by the unreasonable sense of betrayal from Thor taking Loki away.

Thor, after all, was only doing what he thought was right.

Letting a small, wry smile cross his face, Clint eases away from the vent he's been listening at, and makes his way to the vents above Fury's office, where he can wait until the initial hunt has died down before he goes to steal his way off the helicarrier. He's not worried about anyone spotting him once he's in the crowd on shore, and he can make his way to the apartment, wait there for Darcy, and plan how they're going to get the third of their triad back.

There is nothing else for him, anyway, not at SHIELD, and not among the Avengers. The former because they'll never trust him and because Coulson is dead. The latter because sooner or later they'll find out he'd played them, and that he'll do just about anything for one of their biggest enemies. It's not exactly a recipe for good team dynamics.

Smiling to himself, he makes himself comfortable, and waits.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Written for the prompt "Missing".
> 
> Originally posted as part of [The Travel Collection](http://archiveofourown.org/works/439754), in the chapter [All of a Question](http://archiveofourown.org/works/439754/chapters/1680257).


	2. He Is Ours

He feels light, almost giddy, as he stands before the throne of the all-father. Free of his chains and the gag that they thought to use to bind his magic. Not yet free of other chains, other obligations, but they are all the lighter when he knows the bonds he's gladly accepted, freely and with full knowledge of what he did. Of what he made possible.

Clint's bow is held lightly in one hand, though no arrow is nocked to the string. His blue eyes watch the Aesir court for any danger to Loki. No one dares to account him less than a true danger, though he's mortal, and argr. He's Loki's, body, heart, and soul, and no matter what he may be, that makes him dangerous.

Darcy's weapon looks like nothing next to Clint's, but it is her that Thor and Odin both watch warily. She is the one who had found the key to bring her and Clint here, after all. She is the one who opened the Bifrost from Midgard without the aid of Heimdall, and walked across realms to stand by the side of her lord, her loyal servant.

"You would bear Loki's punishment alongside him?" Odin's tone is measured, his words carefully chosen. He clearly is uncertain what to expect from these two mortals, these lovers of his stolen Jotun pet.

"He's ours." Darcy's voice is flat, her tone unyielding and implacable.

"And we're his." Clint's holds more amusement, but it's steady and certain nonetheless. "Don't see how you expect us to go away and leave him to your idea of justice."

Darcy lets out a sharp bark of laughter, and Loki can see her grin out of the corner of his eye. Truly the more dangerous of his lovers, this fierce, dark woman. A warrior who uses words and captured lightning as her weapons.

"We stand for him. He is _ours_." Darcy tilts her chin up, staring down Odin without an outward trace of fear. Loki knows she'll collapse into their arms after this is over, let herself be cared for and protected, and treated like a princess - like the queen she should be. But for now, she is the strength, the shield that bears all that comes down upon it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Written for the prompt "Hollow".
> 
> Originally posted as part of [The Travel Collection](http://archiveofourown.org/works/439754), in the chapter [Lost Deeps](http://archiveofourown.org/works/439754/chapters/2020100).


	3. Anticipated Threats

"Move, and I remove your kidney." Natasha's voice is very quiet, and Clint holds very still against the point that's pricking him through the leather and linen of his current outfit. He knows it's unlikely to do more than that, but he's not going to let Natasha know that, not easily. Especially when he's not quite sure if she's enemy or ally, or something of both.

"Didn't expect to see you here." Clint keeps his voice light, and scans the wide room that's currently full of Asgardian partiers, looking for any sign of the other Avengers. They hadn't expected any of them to come here after Thor left, convinced that Loki was Odin, like everyone else.

"No one else knows I'm here." Natasha's voice is as steady as his own, both of them too well trained for anything else. "Thor told us Loki is dead, but he didn't bring you or Lewis home."

Which for someone like Natasha would be a tell, and Clint should have expected her to find a way to find out what's going on. Had, actually, but hadn't expected her to come here without backup. His mistake.

"We're a bit busy. Just because boss is dead doesn't mean the job's over." Clint doesn't bother to hide his loyalties now, though he'll keep the secret of who Loki is right now even if Natasha does practice her favorite interrogation techniques on him. He hopes.

"Thor also said Odin gave him permission to stay on Earth for as long as he wanted." Natasha might not need Clint to give anything away to figure it out, but he's not giving her confirmation. "Why?"

"Why don't you ask Odin that?" Clint raises an eyebrow, though he knows Natasha can't actually see that from where she's standing.

"Because I don't trust him." That's an admission, though not an obvious one, and Clint blinks in surprise. He'd think, after all he's done, Natasha wouldn't trust him.

Clint is quiet a moment, turning over all his possible answers to that, and knowing the longer he waits, the greater the chance Natasha will realize something's more off than it appears, if she hasn't already.

"Thor's needed on Earth." It's an answer that might give away more than Clint likes, but it's the one Natasha needs. The one that might give the others a fighting chance to deal with what's coming, since Clint and Darcy aren't leaving Loki, and Loki isn't leaving Asgard.


End file.
